Bury entrepreneur to buy Macc Town FC?

Above: Robert Benwell (centre) pictured at a recent Bury Town Hall meeting.

A Bury entrepreneur, who tried to buy Gigg Lane, is in talks to take over Macclesfield Town Football Club.

Robert Benwell previously told Shakers fans how he wanted to buy Bury FC’s home, either out of liquidation or by way of repossession from current owner Steve Dale, and set up a new club.

He was the subject of a heated Town Hall meeting in December and as recently as the end of July, Supporters’ trust ‘Forever Bury’ saw him as a potential avenue for the future of the Shakers, whose future is as uncertain as ever after Dale’s application to join the National League was rejected.

Now, according to the BBC, it has emerged that the Barnsley-born businessman, who had a background in online marketing before moving into web hosting and online publishing, is looking to do a deal for the stricken Silkmen.

His involvement came to light at a High Court winding-up hearing which ended with the Moss Rose club being given a week to settle a tax debt of nearly £189,000.

A barrister representing Macclesfield said negotiations for a sale of the club to Benwell were at an advanced stage.

Niall McCulloch said bosses expected to complete a sale by the end of September and that the tax debt would be paid.

The club owe more than £700,000 in total including a disputed sum to former boss Sol Campbell.